Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
Now that it’s the outdoor performance season, musicians are challenged with finding a way to clip their music to their stands on breezy days. Musicmaide Stand Clips and Portfolio are simple, hassle-free solutions to this problem. They firmly secure sheet music and books against the wind, while allowing for fast song transitions and easy page turns. You can see the clips in action on a demonstration video at www.musicmaide.com. All Musicmaide products are made in the US.
According to the experts at Etymotic Research, the company’s ER20XS high-fidelity earplugs allow people to hear loud music better. At high levels, the human ear overloads and distorts, “smearing” the details of the music. “Industrial” earplugs alter the fidelity of the music by reducing high-pitch sounds more than low-pitch sounds. ER20XS earplugs have a balanced response and reduce the sound to an optimal range that allows the ear to process sound without distortion and the listener then hears the music more clearly.
Mackie’s MP Series high-performance in-ear monitors are meticulously tuned to offer exceptional clarity, bass, and headroom surpassing more expensive models. They feature comfortable ergonomically molded enclosures with three different ear tips. The detachable, audiophile-grade cables are shielded and internally braided and equipped with MMCX connectors for easy, flexible wearing. The MP Series is available in three models: single dynamic driver MP-120, dual dynamic driver MP-220, and dual hybrid driver MP-240.
Espresso Portable Power Supply is designed to power any mic requiring 30-48V phantom power at a current draw of up to 5 mA. It has one XLR female input and one quarter-inch TRS female output and can be configured for either mic level balanced signal or line level unbalanced signal. When joined with a smartphone adapter cable it can send the mic signal straight into an Android, iPhone, or other smartphone. By moving an internal jumper, Espresso can be configured to output an unbalanced line-level signal and run a contact or condenser mic signal straight into an instrument amp without the need for a preamp or DI box. It is available as a kit or 
ready-to-use model.
Bass Clone is a chorus pedal with features especially designed for bass. A combination of modulated and dry signals, its crossover switch cuts low end from the modulated signal so the pedal delivers a more accurately articulated bottom end with excellent tone definition. Bass Clone’s treble control affects the whole signal, while the bass control only affects the dry half. Together with the crossover switch, they provide precise sound shaping for a tight, focused bass guitar sound with well-defined low end and shimmering chorus on top. The Electro-Harmonix Bass Clone features compact design and true bypass switching. It can run on a 
9V battery or adapter.
The Dean Zelinsky Johnny Winter Signature Guitar is the instrument Winter had been playing and touring with in the three years prior to his death. This collector’s guitar features custom-engraved flame maple top; ultra-thin mahogany body; a 25 ½-inch scale, a 24-fret maple neck; brushed satin nickel hardware; locking tuners; and custom humbuckers that provide the hot and bright Johnny Winter signature tone. The guitars come with a Tweed Tolex hard case.
